Revelation 1:18-20 (NKJV)
18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of *Hades and of Death. 19 [Therefore]Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The [Hidden truth]mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the [messengers]angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.
In the Book of Revelation in chapters one to three, we are told by the writer, the Apostle John, of the Lord’s messages to the seven churches in the province of Asia. These were His personal messages to each of the seven churches individually.
Revelation 1:1-4a (NKJV)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Greeting the Seven Churches
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
In this article I will attempt to explain how relevant and significant these personal messages from the Lord are to the Church today by focusing the article on what the Lord highlights to them (the 7 Churches) that they have been doing wrong and that if they don’t repent of this wrong doing, he will deal with them harshly even though they have been doing some things correctly and in line with the Word of God!
Before we tackle the individual messages to each Church, let us bear in the forefront of our minds that all scripture is God breathed and is therefore relevant to the Church throughout the ages and even more so today as the increase of evil in the world is escalating rapidly! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and always – Jesus is the Word! The Word of God is always relevant! The Word of God is living, powerful and active!
2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 4:12-13 (NKJV)
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
1. The Church in Ephesus – Revelation 2:1-7
In verses two and three, the Lord tells the Church in Ephesus that He knows all about their good deeds and that for His name’s sake they have persevered, and they have not become weary of doing good in His name!
Revelation 2:2-3 (NKJV)
2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
This something is that they had left, forsaken or neglected their first love. The Church had become so busy 'doing things', both as individuals and as a congregation, that they had left/forsaken their first love.
Yes, they were doing good deeds in Jesus’ name as we all should, but they had become mechanical in their actions and had been overwhelmed by ‘busyness’ which had taken them away from what is the most important thing in any born again Christian’s life, and that is their first love of Christ, they had forsaken fostering and nurturing their personal relationship with their Saviour – our Lord Jesus Christ in order to “do”!
They had become Martha’s who was too busy to sit at the Lord’s feet instead of becoming Mary’s who valued her relationship with Jesus more than anything else!
Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Make sure that each day you spend time at the Lord’s feet listening to what He has to say to you before you rush headlong into busyness. Be led by the Holy Spirit in all things!
Make time to read and study the Bible and put its teachings into practice. Be an obedient servant of the Lord!
Revelation 2:4-5 (NKJV)
4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
In verse 5 above the Lord gives us a very strong warning that we need to heed and do today! Repent and do the first works which is to love Jesus with all our heart, soul and mind and love our neighbour as we love ourselves and in this way build a relationship with Him before anything else.
Matthew 22:36-40 (AMP)
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ 40 The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”
If we don’t repent, He will remove us from our place – Rev 2:5! To me (my opinion) this suggests that we could be removed from the Lamb’s Book of Life if we don't repent. Remember, the 7 Churches were all believers!
Our first love is Jesus Christ, nothing should come before our relationship with Him, not even the good works he has predestined us to do – these works are done in and through our relationship with Him in the power of the Holy Spirit! They are a labour of love in Christ Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. I cannot emphasise this enough!
John 16:13-15 (NKJV))
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
Hebrews 4:13 (NKJV)
And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
And I, dear Reader, am the first to throw up my hands and say, “Forgive me, Lord, for forsaking my first love and becoming overwhelmed with busyness! I repent, Lord, and turn away from this sin. I love you, Lord! Lead me by your Spirit on the path of your will be done and not mine! Amen.”
2. Smyrna – The Persecuted Church – Revelation 2:8-11.
In His message to the Church at Smyrna, there is no rebuke for them as there was for five of the other Churches. Instead, He comforts them by saying that He knows all about the persecution they have been through and are going through at the hands of the unbelievers.
Revelation 2:9-10 (NKJV)
9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a [congregation]synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
In verse 9 above He reminds the Church that He knows their obedience and diligence in doing their works and He also knows the tribulations they have gone throw because of their strong relationship with Him, their obedience to Him and the things they do in His name. Scripture tells us that we mustn’t be surprised when we face persecution but to remember that He was persecuted first.
1 Peter 2:21 (AMP)
For [as a believer] you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in His footsteps.
1 Peter 4:1-2 (NIV)
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
In Christ Jesus we are overcomers of the world!
John 16:33 (NKJV)
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
In verse 9 as well the Lord says he knows all about their physical poverty (possibly caused by those that persecuted them) but encourages them to press on by assuring them that they are spiritually rich because they have endured and remained faithful to Him.
In verse 10 above, the Lord encourages us not to live in fear of persecution but to remain faithful to Him and He will give us the crown of life – eternal life! Amen.
Let’s take encouragement from the words of the Apostle James who tells us to count persecution as joy as it produces in us endurance that leads to spiritual maturity and inner peace!
James 1:2-3 (AMP)
2 Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. 3 Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].
3. Pergamum – The Compromising Church – Revelation 2:14-16 .
Now, my dear Readers, this Church is a prime example of many Churches in the world today, in fact far too many!
In verses 14 and 15 below the Lord, in His rebuke of the Church in Pergamum, refers to the Church as holding to two separate false doctrines. The first in verse 15 being the “doctrine of Balaam” and the second in verse 16 the “doctrine of the Nicolaitans”. The Lord states emphatically the He hates both doctrines!
And in verse 16 He tells the Church to repent of holding to these doctrines or He will come and fight against them. This stark warning still applies to many of today’s Churches that follow false teachers and prophets!
Revelation 2:14-16 (NKJV)
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
Now, let’s examine the word “hold” from its original Greek word so that we can grasp what a strong word it is in this context.
The Greek word for hold is “krateó” (pronounced krat-eh'-o, Strong’s 2902) and its meaning is: to be strong or to rule. In this context it is used to indicate strength in oneself for example, I am strong or I rule or I take hold of or I stand fast on or hold fast to. We can become "I" specialists in our own strength - pride which was Satan's downfall!
The essence of what the Lord is saying is that instead of holding fast to Him, they were holding fast to the erroneous teachings of false prophets and teachers and were putting their faith in men and their doctrines and their own strength!
This is what is happening in many Churches today especially those that come out of the prosperity movement and other false doctrines that have perverted the scriptures to feed the greed of false teachers!
Let’s have a good look at what these two doctrines are:
i. The Doctrine of Balaam
The account of Balaam and his evil ways can be read in Numbers 22-25. I encourage you, Dear Readers, to read and study these chapters for yourself as I am not going to go into great detail about Balaam in this article, just the basics of the doctrine.
The doctrine of Balaam revolves around self-gain, self-indulgence and greed. Balaam was a false prophet, and it was his counsel to Moab that led to Israel rebelling against God and indulging in all sorts of sinful activities with the women of Moab such as idolatry (in this case worship of the Baal of Peor), fornication and other perverse sexual activities that Moab was involved in.
This behaviour did not go unpunished by God and a plague broke out among the Israelites that killed many. God does not let sin go unpunished!
Numbers 25:1-3 (AMP)
Israel settled and remained in Shittim (Acacia Grove), and the people began to play the prostitute with the women of Moab [by being unfaithful to God]. 2 For they invited the Israelites to the sacrifices of their gods, and the Israelites ate [food offered to idols] and bowed down to Moab’s gods. 3 So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor [in worship]. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
Numbers 31:6 (NKJV)
Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.
This was the kind of thing that was happening amongst the congregation of the Church in Pergamum. They were led astray by false prophets and teachers and were prostituting themselves to idolatry, self-gain and self-indulgency.
In many ways the Church today is being led astray by modern day false prophets and teachers that preach it is ok for Christians to carry on wilfully sinning once they are born again just as Israel was led astray by Moab and the Church at Pergamum was! This is not OK!
Beware of false prophets and teachers! Test everything against the Word of God with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In this way your lifestyle and your Christian walk will bring glory to Jesus!
A born again Christian cannot go on willfully sinning with immunity! All sin carries a consequence to your Christian walk of faith in Christ Jesus! All sin needs to be repented from and God asked for forgiveness! Have a heart like King David, a man after God’s own heart, be quick to repent and say sorry to the Father in Jesus’ name for every slip!
See my blog on “What happens when a Christian sins?” Click this link:
https://rayskilton.blogspot.com/2021/09/what-happens-when-born-again-christians.html
ii. The doctrine of the Nicolaitans
Unlike the Ephesian Church who, like Jesus, hated the practices of the Nicolaitans, some of the Church at Pergamum had welcomed and embraced the practices of the Nicolaitans.
Now, just who were the Nicolaitans and what were their practices?
The Nicolaitans were a group of people in the early Church, today we would probably call them a sect, who taught that it was alright for a born again Christian to continue in his old life of sin. They were guilty of using the grace of God to practice licentious and ungodly ways. They taught things that were contrary to the teachings of the Apostles and the Bible. They were wolves in sheep’s clothing!
Unfortunately, we still see many of these and similar practices being carried out in Churches today by many preachers and teachers! One of the most destructive and misleading doctrines in today’s church is the ‘Prosperity Preaching or the Word of Faith Movement’, but there are many other false so called Christian movements that are equally destructive and lead people astray on the path to Hell. These teachings encourage believers to use and manipulate God and scripture for their personal gain, especially in the areas of health, wealth, happiness, and victory.
The Lord’s warning to this type of Church in verse 16 is to repent or he will come quickly and fight against you.
4. Thyatira – The Corrupt Church – Revelation 2:18-19.
The Church in Thyatira was a Church of divided faith. There were those that had forsaken Christ and were following the teaching of a false prophetess whom the Lord addresses as Jezebel. Much in the same vein as the Church at Pergamum! Whether Jezebel was her real name or not we aren’t told, but she was definitely a real person!
It is my belief that the Lord was likening this false prophetess to the evil wife of King Ahab spoken of in 1 Kings because she carried the same evil spirit that Ahab’s Jezebel did! Jezebel brought corruption to her husband Ahab and consequently to the whole of Israel by teaching and leading them into idolatry and all sorts of licentious practices contrary to the Word of God. She was corrupt and led her husband into corruption who in turn led Israel into corruption! This was happening at Pergamum.
This is what God says about King Ahab – he did more evil in God’s eyes than all the other kings of Israel:
Then there were those in the Church at Thyatira who rejected the false prophetess Jezebel’s teachings and ways and stayed loyal to Christ but didn’t to anything to bring correction to Jezebel and her followers or have here thrown out of the Church!
The Lord views those within the Church (leaders) who do not correct the sin of others in their congregation just as complicit as those who do the sin. Church leaders will be held accountable for their inaction in bringing correction to those within their congregations of believers who continue to willfully sin and embrace false doctrines and teachings.
Church! Let us not become Ahab’s and Jezebel’s. Let us walk in the Spirit as Jesus did and let us walk according to the path of righteousness in Jesus’ name and let us help our brothers and sisters in Christ do the same. Let us proactively build each other up according to the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit and bring glory to Jesus! Let us repent and turn away from any evil ways that we have been led into by false prophets and teachers and our own distorted thinking!
5. Sardis – The Dead Church.
The Church at Sardis had built up a reputation amongst men that because of their wordly vibrancy, progammes and activities, they saw themselves as alive and “going places”, but in the eyes of God, they were a dead Church, and their works were imperfect before God! They were operating in the flesh and not in the Spirit!
God considers those that once knew Him and then deliberately turn away and deny Him and the truth of His Word and reject Jesus as His Son and as their Lord and Saviour to be adulterers and adulteresses – they are unfaithful.
Doesn’t this Church just look like many of the so-called mega Churches of today who run on worldly programs and stir up peoples’ emotions instead of the spirit that God placed within them during the miracle of physical birth!
See my blog on “What happens when a Christian sins?” Click this link:
https://rayskilton.blogspot.com/2021/09/what-happens-when-born-again-christians.html
ii. The doctrine of the Nicolaitans
Unlike the Ephesian Church who, like Jesus, hated the practices of the Nicolaitans, some of the Church at Pergamum had welcomed and embraced the practices of the Nicolaitans.
Now, just who were the Nicolaitans and what were their practices?
The Nicolaitans were a group of people in the early Church, today we would probably call them a sect, who taught that it was alright for a born again Christian to continue in his old life of sin. They were guilty of using the grace of God to practice licentious and ungodly ways. They taught things that were contrary to the teachings of the Apostles and the Bible. They were wolves in sheep’s clothing!
Unfortunately, we still see many of these and similar practices being carried out in Churches today by many preachers and teachers! One of the most destructive and misleading doctrines in today’s church is the ‘Prosperity Preaching or the Word of Faith Movement’, but there are many other false so called Christian movements that are equally destructive and lead people astray on the path to Hell. These teachings encourage believers to use and manipulate God and scripture for their personal gain, especially in the areas of health, wealth, happiness, and victory.
The Lord’s warning to this type of Church in verse 16 is to repent or he will come quickly and fight against you.
Revelation 2:16 (AMP)
Therefore repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will]; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war and fight against them with the sword of My mouth [in judgment].
4. Thyatira – The Corrupt Church – Revelation 2:18-19.
The Church in Thyatira was a Church of divided faith. There were those that had forsaken Christ and were following the teaching of a false prophetess whom the Lord addresses as Jezebel. Much in the same vein as the Church at Pergamum! Whether Jezebel was her real name or not we aren’t told, but she was definitely a real person!
It is my belief that the Lord was likening this false prophetess to the evil wife of King Ahab spoken of in 1 Kings because she carried the same evil spirit that Ahab’s Jezebel did! Jezebel brought corruption to her husband Ahab and consequently to the whole of Israel by teaching and leading them into idolatry and all sorts of licentious practices contrary to the Word of God. She was corrupt and led her husband into corruption who in turn led Israel into corruption! This was happening at Pergamum.
This is what God says about King Ahab – he did more evil in God’s eyes than all the other kings of Israel:
1 Kings 16:30-33 (AMP)
30 Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all [the kings] who were before him.
31 It came about, as if it had been a trivial thing for Ahab to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made the Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
Then there were those in the Church at Thyatira who rejected the false prophetess Jezebel’s teachings and ways and stayed loyal to Christ but didn’t to anything to bring correction to Jezebel and her followers or have here thrown out of the Church!
The Lord views those within the Church (leaders) who do not correct the sin of others in their congregation just as complicit as those who do the sin. Church leaders will be held accountable for their inaction in bringing correction to those within their congregations of believers who continue to willfully sin and embrace false doctrines and teachings.
Revelation 2:20-23 (NKJV)
20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Church! Let us not become Ahab’s and Jezebel’s. Let us walk in the Spirit as Jesus did and let us walk according to the path of righteousness in Jesus’ name and let us help our brothers and sisters in Christ do the same. Let us proactively build each other up according to the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit and bring glory to Jesus! Let us repent and turn away from any evil ways that we have been led into by false prophets and teachers and our own distorted thinking!
5. Sardis – The Dead Church.
Revelation 3:1-3 (NKJV)
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
The Church at Sardis had built up a reputation amongst men that because of their wordly vibrancy, progammes and activities, they saw themselves as alive and “going places”, but in the eyes of God, they were a dead Church, and their works were imperfect before God! They were operating in the flesh and not in the Spirit!
Romans 8:5-8 (NKJV)
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
James 4:4 (NKJV)
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
God considers those that once knew Him and then deliberately turn away and deny Him and the truth of His Word and reject Jesus as His Son and as their Lord and Saviour to be adulterers and adulteresses – they are unfaithful.
Doesn’t this Church just look like many of the so-called mega Churches of today who run on worldly programs and stir up peoples’ emotions instead of the spirit that God placed within them during the miracle of physical birth!
They preach the doctrines of men and bring the world into the Church instead of taking Jesus into the world! They use the Church as a place of entertainment under the pretense of being relevant in society! They are friends of the world and thus become enemies of God! In the eyes of the world, they are vibrant and alive but in the eyes of God they are dead!
They do not preach the truth of God’s Word that leads to eternal life, they preach the false doctrines of man and distort the truth and lead themselves and their followers to Hell – eternal death!
Today God is calling the false Church to repent and turn away from their wicked ways and come to Jesus as their Lord and Saviour! If you do not, He will do as He promises in Revelation 3:3 Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Church! Now is the hour to repent! You false teachers and prophets, you who eagerly devour the sheep and lead them to Hell – REPENT! You know who you are!
6. Philadelphia – The Faithful Church.
The Church in Philadelphia is the second out of the six that the Lord addresses that is not disciplined or corrected in any way. There is no, “Nevertheless I have this against you!”
Instead, the Lord says he knows their works and He has set an open door before them that no one else can shut. This suggests that He is pleased with their works as they are done with correct motives and guided by the Holy Spirit and bring glory to Jesus alone! Because of this, the Lord welcomes them into His presence with an open door.
They are a faithful Church because of three attributes they have that are mentioned in verses 8 and 10.
a. You have a little strength. Unlike the other six churches, because they were a poor community they relied solely on the Lord for their provision and not on their own strength and material things for their providence.
They do not preach the truth of God’s Word that leads to eternal life, they preach the false doctrines of man and distort the truth and lead themselves and their followers to Hell – eternal death!
Today God is calling the false Church to repent and turn away from their wicked ways and come to Jesus as their Lord and Saviour! If you do not, He will do as He promises in Revelation 3:3 Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Church! Now is the hour to repent! You false teachers and prophets, you who eagerly devour the sheep and lead them to Hell – REPENT! You know who you are!
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
6. Philadelphia – The Faithful Church.
The Church in Philadelphia is the second out of the six that the Lord addresses that is not disciplined or corrected in any way. There is no, “Nevertheless I have this against you!”
Instead, the Lord says he knows their works and He has set an open door before them that no one else can shut. This suggests that He is pleased with their works as they are done with correct motives and guided by the Holy Spirit and bring glory to Jesus alone! Because of this, the Lord welcomes them into His presence with an open door.
They are a faithful Church because of three attributes they have that are mentioned in verses 8 and 10.
a. You have a little strength. Unlike the other six churches, because they were a poor community they relied solely on the Lord for their provision and not on their own strength and material things for their providence.
b. You have kept My word. They adhered steadfastly to the Word of God and did not entertain man made and distorted doctrines of false prophets and teachers.
c. You have not denied My name. They did not turn their backs on Jesus and start to follow the teachings of false prophets and teachers and practice things that are contrary to the Word of God.
d. You have kept my command to persevere. They have clung to Jesus and have not faltered through thick and thin!
Revelation 3:8-11 (NKJV)
8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
The promise from the Lord to the faithful Church and the faithful Christian is that we “will be kept from the hour of trial that shall come upon the whole earth.” It is my belief that those who remain faithful to the Lord will not face the tribulation period that is coming “to test those who dwell on the earth.”
7. Laodicea – The Lukewarm Church.
Being a lukewarm Christian or a lukewarm Church is something which our Lord issues a very strong warning about when we examine his feelings as shown in the book of Revelation. In the below verses he tells us exactly how he feels about lukewarmness.
Revelation 3:15-17 (NKJV)
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
“I know what you have been doing and that your lives and lifestyles are not fully committed to me and that you are still self-serving in many ways. Because you are like this and because you live so far away from my teachings you leave a bad taste in my mouth and your ways turn my stomach. If you don’t change your ways and serve me fully, I will cut you off. You are focused on wordly things and not on Spiritual things. You think that you have gained these things by your own efforts and do not realise that apart from me you can do nothing and are nothing. You have become blinded by the things of the flesh and have ignored the things of the Spirit. I urge you to repent and turn back to me and submit to my teachings. You have moved out of my covering and your eyes have become seared by the lure of world and its temptations and you are no longer able to see and discern the things of the Spirit. Clothe yourselves in me and my Holy Spirit so that you will be able to see clearly again.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
When we look at the Church today it is easy to see that many are building their ‘ministries’ around prosperity, self-gain and other such false teachings. Today New Age teachings are rife in the Church and are being allowed to permeate, water down and corrupt the teachings of the Bible in the name of being politically correct.
The Church today is allowing itself to be moulded by ungodly laws and lawmakers instead of standing its ground with feet firmly rooted in the infallible Word of God and to the glory of Jesus. These Churches and their followers, if they remain unrepentant, are soon to be spewed out! They do not taste good to the Lord!
“Canned Christianity and Christians” are an abomination in the eyes of God!
Just as in Laodicea, many of today’s Churches have been corrupted and led astray by false prophets and teachers who preach the messages of man and not the truth of the Bible. Many have been led astray by teachers who tickle peoples’ ears with what they want to hear, a watered down and diluted gospel, as they have never humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God, or who once did believe but have now turned their backs on God!
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NKJV)
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
The Church in general have become worshippers of the things of the world that man has wrapped in a pretty and corrupted gospel of lies and misrepresentation and have labelled it ‘Church’. Many people attend Church to be entertained rather than to worship God, be led by the Holy Spirit and bring glory to Jesus alone.
Titus 1:15-16 (NIV)
15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
2 Tim 4:3-4 (NIV)
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Matt 7:15-20
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Now is the time for all fence sitters and lukewarm Christians to repent of their sin of indecision and neglect of the truth of the Gospel, ask God for forgiveness and return to wholeheartedly loving Him and serving Him!
What type of Church/Christian do you want to be?
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven
Help me to remain faithful and true to you and your Word. I repent of being a lukewarm Christian and of not giving myself to you with wholehearted love and devotion. Forgive me Lord, I pray. Thank you for forgiving me of this sin and from this time forth, Lord, please help me to be on fire for you always. Lord, I ask that you fan into flame the gifts you have placed within me to do the works that you have predestined me to do and to keep your fire ever burning within me by the power of your Holy Spirit and to the glory of your Name. Help me Lord to live my life in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Help me Lord to be discern what is the true gospel from that which is false. Help me Lord to help others, to encourage them and to build them up to reach their full potential in Christ Jesus. I ask this, Lord, in your precious Name. Amen.
Hebrews 10:24-25
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus, the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no excuse for you not reading and studying the Bible for yourself. My word is flawed, the Word of God is not!
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